1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of connector assemblies. More particularly, the present invention relates to the field of connector assemblies having means for penetrating the insulation and establishing electrical connection with the insulated electrical wires.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Specifically, connectors are well known in the art. These prior art connectors are used for establishing electrical connection between electronic devices. While many prior art connectors are adequate in a number of applications, there is still a need for improvement. Most of the known termination methods have required some type of insulation striping or other preparation prior to making an electrical connection.
The following eight (8) prior art patents are found to be pertinent to the field of the present invention:
1. U.S. Pat. No. 4,157,208 issued to Roberts et al. on Jun. 5, 1979 for "Waterproof Splice Electrical Connector" (hereafter the "Roberts Patent"); PA1 2. U.S. Pat. No. 4,451,104 issued to Hodgson et al. on May 29, 1984 for "Apparatus For Splicing Electric Wires" (hereafter the "Hodgson Patent"); PA1 3. U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,722 issued to Fox, Jr. on Mar. 3, 1981 for "Insulation Pierce-Type Connector For Ribbon Cable" (hereafter the "Fox Patent"); PA1 4. U.S. Pat. No. 4,572,603 issued to Weidler on Feb. 25, 1986 for "Connector For Terminating Small Gauge Magnet Wire" (hereafter the "Weidler Patent"); PA1 5. U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,187 issued to Sowinski on Mar. 31, 1987 for "Connector Fabrication Method And Apparatus" (hereafter the "Sowinski Patent"); PA1 6. U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,769 issued to Cruise et al. on Nov. 9, 1993 for "Electrical Connector With Preloaded Spring-Like Terminal With Improved Wiping Action" (hereafter the "Cruise Patent"); PA1 7. U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,626 issued to Kwiat et al. on May 5, 1998 for "Electrical Connector Assembly" (hereafter the "Kwiat Patent"); and PA1 8. U.S. Pat. No. 5,807,133 issued to Arnett on Sep. 15, 1998 for "Insulation Displacement Connector" (hereafter the "Arnett Patent").
The Roberts Patent discloses a waterproof splice electrical connector. The connector includes an outer casing which receives a cylindrical plug member. A circular plate-like contact terminal is mounted between the plug member and a base, and both are mounted within a third casing member. The terminal is free to rotate through a prescribed arc with respect to the plug member and the base. When the plug assembly is in turn mounted in the outer casing, the plug assembly is also rotatable through a similar prescribed arc relative to the outer casing. In the assembled configuration, the terminal is fixed relative to the outer casing. Two or more wires can then be spliced by inserting the wires into the plug assembly and imparting relative rotation between the outer casing and the plug assembly. During rotation, insulation piercing members on the terminal establish the electrical interconnection between the wires.
The Hodgson Patent discloses an apparatus for splicing electric wires. It comprises a housing which has two channels with each channel extending through the housing from an entrance opening to an exit opening. The housing further comprises a partition located between the channels, a ramped surface on a wall in each channel opposite the partition with the ramped surface widening each channel as it extends from the entrance opening to the exit opening and an electrically conductive terminal embedded in the partition which has tangs extending into each at an angle inclined toward the exit opening of each channel. A pair of wedges are provided for insertion into the exit end of each channel. After an electric wire is inserted into each channel through the entrance end by a sufficient distance into the channel until the wire at least overlays the tangs of the terminal, a wedge is forced into the exit end of each channel to force the inserted electric wire down onto the tangs of the terminal to make electrical contact with the terminal and to force the electric wire into locked engagement between the partition and the inserted wedge in each channel.
The Fox Patent discloses an insulation pierce-type connector for a ribbon cable. It comprises a base and a mating cover joined together to clamp a multi-conductor flat flexible cable. The cover and base have aligned cavities for accommodating contact elements which are inserted through the top of the cover after the cable is clamped. The elements have insulation piercing slots so that each element slices through the conductor insulation to electrically engage a conductor wire and are shaped so as to hold the base and cover in engagement after contact is achieved with conductor wires.
The Weidler Patent discloses a connector for terminating small gauge magnet wires. It comprises a terminal which is a one-piece metal strip. The strip has a bowed wire engaging portion with a convex, serrated, wire engaging surface and mounting arms extending in the direction of the bow from opposite ends.
The Sowinski Patent discloses a connector fabrication method and apparatus for voiding selected terminals from a connector assembly wherein an array of terminals, joined to a common carrier member, are partially preloaded in a connector housing. The apparatus includes a punch having a first projection which engages and deforms the terminal. The punch further includes a second projection following the first projection, for severing the terminal from the carrier strip. The selected terminals are disengaged and extracted from the connector housing and severed from the carrier member, at the voiding station.
The Cruise Patent discloses an electrical connector with a preloaded spring-like terminal with an improved wiping action. The electrical connector includes a dielectric body mounting a flexible leaf-type terminal which has a spring contact portion for surface engagement with a contact element of a mating connector component.
The Kwiat Patent discloses an electrical connector assembly for facilitating the establishment of an electrical connection with a terminal on an electrical component when the component and the connector assembly are brought toward each other.
The Arnett Patent discloses an insulation displacement connector for facilitating an electrical contact with an insulated wire conductor. The connector has a wire passage to receive an insulated wire conductor, and capturing a contact member which has an electrically conductive hook portion in the housing. An end of the hook portion projects into the wire passage. When an insulated wire conductor is fed into the passage, insulation on the conductor slides along the hook portion of the contact member. Upon withdrawing or displacing the conductor a certain distance relative to the hook portion, an end of the hook portion engages and pierces the insulation on the conductor to make electrical contact with the conductor.
It is highly desirable to have a very efficient and also very effective design and construction of a connector assembly having means for penetrating the insulation and establishing electrical connection with the insulated electrical wires, thereby eliminating the need to strip the insulation from the insulated wires. It is desirable to provide a connector assembly with the capability of rapidly establishing an electrical connection without the need to strip the insulation away from the insulated wires.